Day at the Cemetery--Kasey Cannon

Our visit to the cemetery was very fascinating. Despite the original eeriness among wandering around in a cemetery, I learned a lot about memorials made to individual lost loved ones.

The first thing I picked up on when entering was the obvious structural differences among all the gravestones. Some triumphantly stood twenty feet in the air, while others looked like mere rocks lying on the ground.

For instance, this gravestone (pictured above) immediately caught my eye. It clearly stands much taller than the surrounding tombstones.  Unlike the two neighboring tombstones, this one also has a large cross on the very top making it further stand out. 

When comparing these two pictures with the extravagant tombstone pictured earlier, obvious economic aspects come into play. Besides their differences in shape and size, the words inscribed on the stones greatly differ. On the large tombstone, the deceased' name, time of birth and death, profession, and a bible verse is present. On the contrary, only "mother" and "father" is written on the smaller, more simplistic tombstones. The tiniest tombstone only has initials engraved.

The next thing I noticed in the cemetery were the flowers and flags present at some tombstones. Family members show their respect and love for their lost loved ones by placing items such as the ones pictured below. By putting flowers and flags at the tombstones, the tombstone becomes a living memorial. Relatives and friends are able to physically demonstrate their love and respect.

I also noticed how some tombstones were grouped together or sometimes even enclosed by a black fence (pictured below). After looking more closely at these tombs, I realized that these were all family members. I think it is incredible that despite different times of death, families were able to be buried together. By being buried together, families further demonstrate their closeness and love for one another.

The last memorial I viewed was Stonewall Jacksons' memorial. The first thing I observed about this memorial (pictured below) was the location and direction that Jackson is facing. The memorial itself is located in the center of the cemetery, making it a primary focus. Jackson himself is facing south. By facing the south, Jackson exemplifies his continuous leadership and love for the confederacy. Jackson is not turning away from the south, but instead is always looking in that direction. Furthermore, Jackson's back is to his house. This is symbolic of Jackson guarding his family and homeland.

If you look closely at the base of the Jackson memorial, you will notice lemons and a small confederate flag. Each of these objects is very important and symbolic of Stonewall Jackson.  By placing objects such as these at the base of the memorial, the memorial becomes a living memorial (similar to flowers being placed at other tombstones).

From this point forward, I will never view a cemetery in the same way. Instead of driving past cemeteries without any care or interest, I will now take notice of all the differences. I have realized that each tombstone is designed very purposefully and each has its own uniqueness and personal meaning.